Skirmish
by Reknownst
Summary: Hell was supposed to be hell, not this. Hell was supposed to suffering. Why did it have to be this? A one-shot set in the otherworld of the Future Timeline.


_**A/N: This would be my main team if I had Tenkaichi Tag Team, but that's a story for another time. This is really posted as a stand-alone one-shot but if there's a popular demand, then it could become a full-fledged story. Maybe.**_

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><p>He had expected hell to be something much more torturous than what it actually was. In all of the Saiyan lore, there had been talks of a multitude of zones throughout Hell that ranged from icy plains to mountains made of needles, which in itself sounded a bit gruesome. For someone who had made a living from the blood of others, he had really expected the place to live up to its name. As he peered out into the distance, over the edge of the summit, he could see a more...viable area, much less rigid than the mountainous side of the pond he had chosen. Below, greenery seemed to stretch on for miles and Bardock could see multiple red fountains speckled throughout the grass and trees. It literally seemed like one of those old parks other souls had told him about; it was like being alive again. He grumbled under his breath. Maybe that was the true torture of "hell"<p>

"Still a bum even in death, aren't you Bardock?" The man in question stared ahead with little response. Tora awaited it all the same.

"I can't believe they doubted me," He spoke quietly. His eyes remained focused on the red river a little ways ahead of him that eventually opened up into a red pond. Bardock was almost certain that it was made from something other than blood, even if the ogres swore otherwise. Limbs of the mountain stretched about the summit, reaching impossibly high and toward Snake Way infinitely above them. His hands dug into the dried rock at his feet, crumbling in his hands like the different soils of the planets he had so mercilessly destroyed.

"Of course they wouldn't believe you," retorted Tora at his side. "We're—eh—_were_ the 'Low Class Elites.' At least, that's what everyone called us. You have to admit, none of them could've taken out Kanassa as quickly as we did. Hell, even Frieza's men were impressed by it."

"And they had us killed for it," Bardock spat sourly. "Killed us for our own loyalty." The saiyan stood to his feet, his hands running over his damaged armor then to the bloody band just underneath his wild hair. "Tell me Tora, doesn't it bother you?" Tora shrugged, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at Bardock.

"You've beaten yourself up over this for years. Even after we watched Kakarot avenge our entire race and watched Frieza be dropped right down here with us, you still lament the outcome of everything." The comment earned him a muffled 'tch' and Bardock continued to stare forward at the pond, aware of Tora's focused eyes.

"It's different when you can see the future..." For a moment, Tora nearly laughed at him but thought better of it when he caught the jaded flicker behind Bardock's eyes.

"Malaka did say something about your brain waves changing or whatever the heck it was when we brought you back from Kanassa. That last one hit you pretty good." Again, Tora's commentary earned him a mumble, a bit more barbed than the first.

"I definitely learned my lesson..." He mumbled again, more so to himself than anything. It hadn't just been the arrogance of his people that dislodged him so much, neither had it been Frieza's betrayal. No, in fact, it had been the thought of 'Goku'. It had been his son that had beaten the tyrant that had crushed numerous others into extinction and it had been in that very same creatures service that he had neglected Kakarot. He had thought very little of being a father until that last Kanassan Toolo cursed him, no, gifted him—or whichever it was, with the ability of foresight.

"Come on Bardock. This place is almost like life itself. Even though we aren't really 'alive', this should count for something shouldn't it?" Bardock shrugged his shoulders.

"You and the others have gotten soft." He never took his eyes from the speckled green fields, looking out further until he caught site of that mangled steel contraption of human invention. Human and saiyans alike referred to it as an "amusement park". Tora's hand rested on his shoulder then.

"You said you saw it for yourself, right? The wrong of the Saiyan way, and yet you're still clinging to it Bardock. Sounds pretty condemning. In my humble opinion anyway." Bardock folded his arms and turned his back to both the view and Tora. He was silent. "Fasha didn't send me up here for no reason." Bardock shuffled toward the red pond in the center of the summit. Still, he didn't even bother with Tora. "Bardock!"

"I understand what you mean, Tora. But I'm pretty sure you don't understand what _I_ mean. Go tell Fasha that I won't be coming down anytime soon." Bardock's arms unfolded to his sides. "That's final." Bardock made note of the quiet that followed after, even turning around to find that Tora had left silently and without a word. Bardock shrugged once again, though a slight bit of guilt had nicked him from within.

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><p><em>...54...<em>

_...55..._

_...56..._

His body was rigid, sore and screaming at him, but Bardock pushed on. The entire mountain sat inverted, the red sky meeting the earth. His own blood thrummed in his ears with every beat. The slight trickling of sweat among his skin had nearly made his arms give way, but he held himself firm.

_...60..._

_..61..._

_...62..._

Bardock lifted a hand away, and he struggled to keep his entire body linear. The pounding in his head sharpened and he tumbled over, prostrate. He clenched his eyes shut in exhaustion as his chest heaved. He remained defiant however and sat upright, scanning his eyes to the red pond in the center of the summit, an oasis of sorts.

"_Damn it."_ His eyes moved to his stripped battle jacket. Tora and the others had always told him he was strong, and had even considered him stronger than their king, who Bardock didn't really seem to care for anyway. But yet, he was still minuscule and insignificant, if he looked at the entire picture.

Kakarot had become a _super saiyan, _ the power of legend had coursed in Bardock's very own veins and he hadn't been able to draw upon it when he needed it. Recalling the fight with Frieza, he had caught note of Kakarot's sheer distress. Much like him, _very much_ like him, he had to watch one of his closest friends die before him, blown into nothing and had been helpless to do anything. The fury that followed after had shocked even a battle-hardened veteran like himself.

He had seen the same distress even after Kakarot had died a second time, done in by a simple heart virus. Gohan, another of his blood, was one of the two left alive and he had followed in Kakarot's footsteps to become a living legend, watching the androids, labeled numbers 17 and 18, lay waste to everything.

And when Gohan had died against those androids, the prince's son had cried in fury, and once again broke the tier of legends. Why couldn't Bardock have done the same? Why couldn't he have become a the very thing that Frieza had feared? Kakarot had dealt with him in a matter a minutes; Bardock had been just as distraught, bewildered at his people's lack of apprehension. Bardock would've made quick work of the tyrant if he had managed to tap into that power. He knew it boiled down to the sole fact that he had been too weak.

A fist dug into the mountain soil, shock-waving through the entire mountain and cutting a considerable chunk loose. He needed to be a Super Saiyan!

"_What does it matter? We're all dead anyway."_ Tora was so complacent with hell, with this scolding illusion of life. How could it not remind him of his atrocities in his life? Of the things that he had never taken the time to value? He was well aware that the rest of his team had actually settled in quite nicely as well, Fasha even trying a few times to get him go with her and the rest of the team save Borgos, to the human-esque "amusement park". The thought made him frown.

His stomach grumbled and he glared at nothing. Hunger was something for the living wasn't it? His eyes flicked over, hesitantly, at the amusement park in the distance. He would've have never known that food was actually sold there if Shugesh hadn't literally dragged him to the gate. He turned his back to the sight again; his stomach tightened in response. Bardock sighed irritably before standing to collect his broken armor. He heard a light tap on the mountain surface and Bardock paused, almost glancing over his shoulder casually at the sudden guest.

"You're the one that did a number on this mountain? Not bad, but you could use some work." For a moment, Bardock eyed him silently, unflinching. He appeared young but stood confidently, more so with an air of arrogance than anything. A small smirk donned his other-wise bland face and he folded his arms over his onyx-dyed shirt. "Well," his voice was cool. "Anything to say?" Bardock glared.

"Get out of my way." The boy in question shrugged mockingly.

"Or what? You'll fight me? I don't think that's really something you have in the cards right now, or that you'll ever have, really." Bardock didn't deign to play his game and instead grabbed hold of his armor and stood at the edge of the summit.

"I don't have business with you." The boy dipped his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"You saiyans are all the same," he mused in boredom. The words caught Bardock's attention and the saiyan spared him a look over his shoulder.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I might be here in hell, but at least I sent that Vegeta down here first." It had taken Bardock a moment before realizing who exactly this boy was. The android threw his hands up. "I'm just saying that all the saiyans I've met talk a lot, but aren't really great fighters at all, given I've only really met Vegeta. That 'Goku' was already dead by the time I went to look for him." Bardock was facing him fully now, his arms crossed over his chest.

"What does that have to do with me?" 17 scoffed slightly at that.

"I guess nothing really. I had come up here to see how or _who_ had exactly managed to knock this mountain around a little." He dropped back into a stance. "Because I've already fought everyone I need to here, and I gotta say, you've piqued my interest." The scowl on Bardock's face lifted a little, making enough room for a subtle smirk to show itself. He readied himself.

"Come on, then."

* * *

><p>The first blow resonated like thunder.<p>

The second had nearly displaced the summit.

By the third, Bardock figured he would need to catch his bearings. The android was far more agile than he was and had applied pressure with terrifying efficiency. A kick had caught him in the ribs; Bardock held on, seizing the android and tossing him back into the summit. Bardock pressed his offense and struck out at 17 just as the boy had gotten back to his feet. He passed by the punch fluently, and was quick to deal Bardock a strike of his own.

Bardock twisted to his side and 17's fist skirted past him. He had gone to bring his foot around sloppily as he shifted awkwardly. The android was quicker still, and he passed under it. 17 pressed in again, this time with a pulsing sphere of energy in his palm. The sphere gave a slighted shutter before it burst forward.

The blast had knocked him through one, two, three levels into the mountain. Bardock shook away the dark that was etching into his vision.

_He hit me that hard...? _Bardock dislodged himself just as the android had sauntered in, beyond arrogant.

"As I've said," he reiterated. "All of you saiyans tend to talk a lot, but you never really have any bite." Bardock's frown deepened.

"If anything, I'd say you're the one who talks too much." Again, the android shrugged.

"The difference is that I've earned it." He disappeared and Bardock guarded chest. He could hear the boy's speed whistle beyond and past him and Bardock quickly pivoted and was met with a perfectly placed kick that sent him into the mountain floor.

17's speed whistled in his ears again. He felt it coming this time and Bardock caught the blow on an arm, wincing inwardly against the pulse in his frame.

_Shit, I have to do something!_

"What's the matter, saiyan?" 17 said with a smirk. "Can't keep up?" Bardock stepped under and away from the first kick. He had expected the second that never came. Instead, Bardock saw the spheres of energy form in the android's hands again before he loosed them. Bardock jumped just out of range of the first one as it cut into the mountain surface and deflected the second one that pursued after him, sending it crashing into the insides of the mountain, which gave a grotesque rumble in response. 17 flew in after him again, and Bardock again found himself on the defensive, his arms and chest pounding with every guard he made and every strike he took. He had yet to even lay a finger on his opponent, and the boy had taken to beating him around as though he were beneath him.

In truth, Bardock had already figured, had already_ known_ that by the time the boy had knocked him into the mountain. The machination pressured him with no signs of letting up, and Bardock was tiring; the assault seemed endless. Bardock's defense slipped up in his thoughts, and he was sent barreling through the mountain face again, this time, back out onto the summit, splashing into the blood oasis. Bardock lifted himself from the water with sputtering urgency, managing to only slightly right himself before 17 was pressuring him into defense yet again.

Then the android made a mistake, looking for grace and style rather than pragmatism. The twisting air kick had been too slow and Bardock made sure to exploit it. It had struck Bardock then, that his opponent had been efficient with every attack brought upon him and quickly realized that it had been there to lead him. The android disappeared and the whistling returned. The first impact had only been a precursor for what was to come and soon a wave of strikes swept over him, the last one connecting as the rest did and knocking Bardock from his feet.

17 landed blandly and merely gave Bardock a shrug if his shoulders and a cold shoulder.

"Heh, well. That was boring. I'll be seeing you later though. Oh, and by the way," 17 turned back to him; there was not a single trace of ridicule in his expression, but rather a cold disappointment. "It'd be better if you found someone stronger than you to fight." Bardock struggled as he lifted his head to glare at him, but fell back into the mountain dirt.

"Then...why don't I just fight you...?" the saiyan retorted between agitated pants.

"Yeah, you can, if you want to be wiped out of existence for good." The insult stung at Bardock more than it should have. "I think you could go find that fat pink pig. The one who normally runs about at the amusement park stuffing his face." Bardock attempted to lift himself up again, this time succeeding, even if his body felt as though it would burst with pain.

"You mean Dodoria..."

"Oh, is that his name?" Another shrug. "Well then, I guess I am. Maybe you can go take him on. Like a training partner." Bardock made a noise of mockery although his derisive commentary was less than frightening, or even upsetting.

"You want me to train with a lowlife like him? After he slaughtered my crew!?" The outburst earned him a kick to the face, sliding him back into the dirt again.

"Right now, I think you're the lowlife. It seems as though you've been training for sometime and haven't even really made an improvement. I think that says more than what happened while we were alive." Bardock refused to stay down.

"How the hell would you know!?"

"I don't." the boy dusted off his shirt. "I don't get why the hell you want to become stronger after death anyway. It's not like someone will revive us with the Dragonballs anyway. Besides, everyone back on earth is dead anyway." Then he chuckled sardonically. "And besides, you've never really even been there, have you?"

"Tch..."

"Earth's a pretty good place you know." Bardock hoisted himself to his feet. The pain had receded into tolerable jabs. Nothing he wasn't used to. Still, 17 had hit him harder than anything he could remember.

"So you just came up here to beat the hell out of me then?"

"Sounds about right."

"Then get the hell out of here. I have training to do..." 17's brows twitched in interest at the notable change in the saiyan's voice.

"What's the matter? Did I get to you?" Bardock gave him an indecipherable look. "I told you that it seems like you haven't improved at all, and even if you did, that your progress is pointless because we're all dead. Now you're all clammed up? Come on, don't be such a baby."

Bardock felt his hands tighten. He hadn't been able to hit the boy..._yet._ But if he did, would it even matter?

"That damn saiyan pride of yours is redundant. I already told you." Bardock's voice caught in his throat. 17 was glaring at him now. "Quit your damn sulking and go do something. If you want to beat me that bad then go start with that pink freak I was telling you about." Bardock's fist were clenched now; his teeth were clenched together in open frustration.

_I really haven't improved...have I, Kakarot? _Bardock focused his attention back to the android. "Fine, I'll start with him. But I'll be back for you, got it?" The android had went to say something but Bardock hadn't even waited in the slightest before lifting himself into the air and dashing off at full speed. He had, however, caught a few words from him that had made Bardock pause in thought, to ponder the android's motives anyway.

_"...__Lapis..." _Bardock cursed under his breath. It was bad enough that his own thinking had got in the way of his fight, even worse that he had lost so unforgivably. He'd have no problem with Dodoria. He'd be able to wipe him out in a heartbeat.

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><p>Lapis laughed at him. That saiyan was quite a bit different from the ones he had seen. They were scattered about hell like ants and most of them were really similar. Vulgar, belligerent and if Lapis was even more honest, stupid would definitely be a description of them.<p>

But Bardock reminded him of his son without a doubt. Given, Bardock was much more rough around the edges, but the saiyan was bold enough to turn on his people's ways in order to make his attempt at saving Goku, or 'Kakarot' as all the saiyans put it.

"I guess dying really allows you to learn quite a few things, eh?" Lapis was talking aloud, even though he was the only one there to listen. "Man, it's even given me a little comfort. Being alive as an android was lame..." He was quiet then. He had beaten Bardock very easily. Too easily. It was strange, he thought, that the dead were able to watch history as though it were a movie. Thus, he saw Bardock struggle and die, and his son triumph. In a sense, the sheer difference had moved him,

So Lapis figured he would find this man, to see what he was like in reality, if he could call this "un-life" such a thing. What he had seen instead was a self-loathing and angry saiyan. He could also see that the saiyan seemed to be punishing himself for his weakness. He had borne the child to defeat Frieza and was proud no doubt, but at the same time ashamed because he had been _too weak._

17 knew from the start that Bardock was training to punish himself, but also because he held on to the possibility to return to life. It had been done when Goku had died fighting his brother. It had also happened when Krillin had died on Namek. The saiyan clutched to such a delusion that he may be able to be brought back, even if 'Goku' had only the slightest to no idea of who he was.

So he also wanted to get stronger for that.

But he would be nowhere near strong if he were to comeback anyhow, not with his strength as unrealized as it was. Lapis laid flat then, outstretched and glancing up into the red sky. He could very faintly see Snake Way's golden twists, dipping below the clouds before disappearing back into them.

Beating the hell out of him may not have been the best way to show Bardock what he needed to see, but Lapis couldn't complain. At least it had gotten the saiyan up and moving. _I'm going to help him,_ Lapis though. He had time to think over what he had done, and killing Krillin, Piccolo and even Vegeta had bothered him after he had realized he had just been angry. _It's the least I could do..._ Lapis stood back up, dusting off his jeans before following off after Bardock.


End file.
